Central Coast & Newcastle Line
Central Coast & Newcastle Line | |||||||||||||||
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Overview | |||||||||||||||
Service type | Intercity rail | ||||||||||||||
Locale | Central Coast and Newcastle, New South Wales | ||||||||||||||
Current operator(s) | NSW TrainLink | ||||||||||||||
Route | |||||||||||||||
Termini | Sydney Central Newcastle Interchange | ||||||||||||||
Stops | 36 | ||||||||||||||
Distance travelled | 165.60 km (102.90 mi) | ||||||||||||||
Line(s) used | Main North railway line Newcastle railway line | ||||||||||||||
Technical | |||||||||||||||
Rolling stock | NSW TrainLink H and V sets | ||||||||||||||
Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge | ||||||||||||||
Electrification | 1,500 V DC from overhead catenary | ||||||||||||||
Track owner(s) | Transport Asset Holding Entity | ||||||||||||||
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The Central Coast & Newcastle Line (CCN) is an intercity rail service operated by NSW TrainLink that services the Hawkesbury River, Central Coast and Newcastle regions. It connects the two largest cities in New South Wales, running from Central in Sydney along the Main North railway line to Broadmeadow, and to Newcastle Interchange in Newcastle on the Newcastle railway line.
Description of route
[edit]The route traverses the Main West route until Strathfield, where it diverts north and follows the route of the Main North line until Broadmeadow, before diverting east along the route of the Newcastle branch line. The line is electrified at 1500 V DC throughout, and is primarily double track, although there are refuge loops at Hawkesbury River, Gosford, Wyong, Awaba, and Sulphide Junction (between Cockle Creek and Cardiff). Some services terminate at Gosford and Wyong.
Services primarily operate to and from Central (Sydney Terminal) via Strathfield. During morning and afternoon peak periods on weekdays, some services will operate in the peak direction from either Wyong or Gosford to Central via the North Shore Line, then continuing on as a T1 service from the Central suburban platforms to Blacktown.[1]
Sometimes, when there is trackwork between Strathfield and Hornsby, trains will operate via the North Shore line between Central and Hornsby, then follow the Main North railway line as normal.
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History
[edit]Prior to electrification of the route, steam hauled passenger trains were varied.[2] From November 1929 until April 1988, the Newcastle Flyer operated on the route. From the time the line was electrified, services to Gosford were hauled by 46 class locomotives, their sphere of operation increasing as the wires were extended. After electrification to Newcastle, services were taken over by U and V sets. Later, the U sets were replaced by K and G sets which, in turn, were replaced by H sets.
The last electric locomotives were withdrawn in March 1998[3] with all services operated by electric multiple unit stock.
The section of the Newcastle railway line between Hamilton and Newcastle was closed on 25 December 2014. Until the opening of Newcastle Interchange in 2017, Hamilton served as the temporary northern terminus.[4] The closed section between Wickham and Newcastle was replaced with the Newcastle Light Rail that opened on 17 February 2019.[5][6]
Services
[edit]Most all-stations trains have four carriages, with the first and last car being quiet carriages. Peak-hour and most express services usually have eight cars, with quiet carriages on the first, last, and the two middle carriages.
Services via Strathfield depart from Central (Sydney Terminal) and are operated by 4- or 8-car H sets (OSCARs) and 8-car V sets.
From 2024, all services are to be taken over by 4- and 6-car D sets. That will allow H sets to be transferred to the suburban Sydney Trains network.
Upgrades
[edit]Completed
[edit]The line was electrified to Gosford in January 1960, Wyong in April 1982[7] and Newcastle in June 1984.[8]
As part of the Northern Sydney Freight Corridor project the following projects were completed:[9] The projects were:[10][11]
Project | Description | Start date | Completion date |
---|---|---|---|
North Strathfield underpass | Grade separation for southbound freight trains heading to Flemington | 2013 | June 2015 |
Epping to Pennant Hills third track | Third track for northbound trains climbing 1 in 40 grades | 2013 | Mid-2016 |
Gosford passing loops | One passing loop in each direction to allow fast trains to overtake slower trains | 2013 | April 2015 |
Proposed
[edit]Glendale station
[edit]A railway station is proposed to be constructed in Glendale as part of the Lake Macquarie Transport Interchange project. The station will be located between Cockle Creek and Cardiff railway station and will have connections to buses. An extension of Glendale Drive leading to the proposed station has been built and completed in June 2017. However, construction of the station has not commenced.
New Warnervale station
[edit]A new station is proposed for Warnervale.[12][13] The draft Central Coast Transportation Strategy stated that construction of the new railway station was to be completed by 2016.[14] In October 2014 there were some differences between Wyong Council and the State Government over how a strategic piece of land should be developed at Warnervale.[15]
Stations
[edit]This table does not include the services which run via the North Shore line and extend to Gosford and Wyong via Gordon.
Name | Railway line | Serving town/suburbs | Notes |
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Central | Main Suburban | Haymarket, Chippendale, Ultimo, Surry Hills | Transport hub featuring Sydney Trains, other Intercity trains, Regional trains, buses and light rail |
Redfern (peak hours only) |
Redfern, Waterloo, Darlington | Interchange with most Sydney Trains lines | |
Strathfield | Strathfield, Burwood | Interchange with the Blue Mountains Line, Sydney Trains and Regional trains | |
Epping | Main North | Epping, North Epping, Carlingford, | Interchange with Sydney Trains and Sydney Metro |
Hornsby | Hornsby, Waitara | Interchange with Sydney Trains and Regional trains | |
Asquith (limited service only) |
Asquith | Usually served by Sydney Trains | |
Mount Colah (limited service only) |
Mount Colah | Usually served by Sydney Trains | |
Mount Kuring-Gai (limited service only) |
Mount Kuring-Gai | Usually served by Sydney Trains | |
Berowra | Berowra, Berowra Heights | End of the Sydney Trains network | |
Cowan | Cowan | ||
Hawkesbury River | Brooklyn | ||
Wondabyne | Wondabyne | Request stop | |
Woy Woy | Woy Woy | ||
Koolewong | Koolewong | ||
Tascott | Tascott | ||
Point Clare | Point Clare | ||
Gosford | Gosford | Intermediate terminus, primarily during peak hours. Interchange with Regional trains | |
Narara | Narara | ||
Niagara Park | Niagara Park | ||
Lisarow | Lisarow | ||
Ourimbah | Ourimbah | ||
Tuggerah | Tuggerah, Mardi, Chittaway Point, Kangy Angy | ||
Wyong | Wyong, Wattanobi | Intermediate terminus, primarily during peak hours and on weekends. Interchange with Regional trains | |
Warnervale | Warnervale, Woongarrah, Hamlyn Terrace | ||
Wyee | Wyee | ||
Morisset | Morisset | ||
Dora Creek | Dora Creek, Myuna Bay, Eraring | ||
Awaba | Awaba | ||
Fassifern | Fassifern, Blackalls Park, Fennell Bay | Interchange with Regional trains | |
Booragul | Booragul, Marmong Point | ||
Teralba | Teralba | ||
Cockle Creek | Cockle Creek, Boolaroo, Argenton | ||
Cardiff | Cardiff, Cardiff Heights, Glendale | ||
Kotara | Kotara, Kotara South | ||
Adamstown | Adamstown, New Lambton | ||
Broadmeadow | Broadmeadow | Interchange with Regional trains | |
Hamilton | Newcastle | Hamilton, Islington | Interchange with the Hunter Line |
Newcastle Interchange | Wickham, Newcastle | Interchange with the buses, Hunter Line trains and Newcastle Light Rail |
Patronage
[edit]The following table shows the patronage of each line of the NSW TrainLink Intercity network for the year ending 30 June 2022, based on Opal tap on and tap off data.[16]
3 179 000 | |
6 015 000 | |
418 000 | |
3 013 000 | |
334 000 |
See also
[edit]- Main Northern Line – for details of history and construction.
- Newcastle Branch line – for the branch line between Broadmeadow and Newcastle.
- Woy Woy Tunnel
- Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge
References
[edit]- ^ "CCN Central Coast & Newcastle Line - Transport NSW" (PDF). Transport NSW. 8 July 2023.
- ^ Some Steam Trains of New South Wales in Retrospect: Trains to Newcastle and the Short North, Covell, Charles Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, October 2000 pp369-386
- ^ "Electric Locos" Railway Digest June 1998 page 35
- ^ Owen, Brodie (15 October 2017). "All stops to Wickham: transport interchange opens". Newcastle Herald. Archived from the original on 16 October 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
- ^ "Light rail construction". Archived from the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
- ^ Light rail in Newcastle opening from Monday 18 February Archived 4 February 2019 at the Wayback Machine Transport for NSW 3 February 2019
- ^ Railway Sign Official Opening Gosford - Wyong Electrification 3 April 1982 Archived 27 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine Powerhouse Museum Collection
- ^ "The Official Opening of Newcastle Rail Electrification" Railway Digest July 1984 page 218
- ^ Northern Sydney Freight Corridor Locked In Archived 10 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine Minister for Infrastructure & Transport 7 December 2011
- ^ "Sydney's mega rail upgrade gets green light". The Construction Index. 7 December 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
- ^ Industry Briefing Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Transport for NSW 24 January 2012
- ^ A new Central Coast Regional Growth and Infrastructure Plan Archived 27 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine New South Wales Planning & Environment Retrieved 27 December 2014
- ^ Warnervale Town Centre Development Control Plan 2012 Archived 30 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine New South Wales Planning & Environment
- ^ Warnervale Town Centre Archived 27 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine Wyong Shire Council 19 February 2014
- ^ NSW Government and Wyong Council in row over plans for key Warnervale land Archived 30 March 2015 at the Wayback Machine Daily Telegraph
- ^ "Train Patronage – Monthly Figures". Transport for NSW. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
Further reading
[edit]- The Short North, Singleton C.C. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, May et seq, 1965